In June of 2005, the Kokosing River was designated the first water trail in the state of Ohio by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Park District provided demonstrable leadership in the designation process in serving as local sponsor and providing coordination between communities and government agencies that own or manage paddler access sites on the river. Access sites along the Kokosing occur at Riverside Park and Memorial Park in Mount Vernon; Kokosing Gap Canoe Access (Lower Gambier Rd.); Laymon Rd. Bridge and Big Run Rd. in Gambier; Pipesville Rd. Bridge and Millwood Rd. in Howard, Riley Chapel Rd. in Walhonding, near the Bat Nest Park; and at the confluence of the Kokosing and Mohcan Rivers (Township Road 423). The Knox County Park District was able to purchase 15.5 acres of prime riparian habitat on the Kokosing State Scenic River in late 2015 and put in a gravel parking lot in the spring of 2016 at 28300 Zuck Rd. Howard 43028. The purchases of this property was due to willing sellers Kim and Pamela Rose and funding from the Muskingum Conservancy District Partners in Watershed Management grant and the Knox County Park District. Additional funding for the Zuck Riparian Preserve came from the Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County and the Richard and Arline Landers Foundation. Once again, demonstrating just how invaluable and beneficial these community collaborative relationships have been in the past and continue to be at present and will continue to be in the future.

Miles to Next Takeout

• Riverside – 2.9
• Memorial – 2.7
• Lower Gambier – 1.6
• Laymon – 2.0
• Big Run – 7.4
• Pipesville – 2.7
• Millwood – 3.6
• Zuck Riparian – 2.4
• Riley Chapel – 2.6
• Confluence – 0.0

Find Kokosing River Water Trail maps at: